Consider the Source

In an early 2023 hubbub regarding artificial intelligence, the world gained a glance at the first of the generative AI, large language model (LLM) programs. The world has frankly not been the same since. There is a fair amount of consternation and discussion regarding where AI gleans it information. 

A great many copyrighted works have been digested by these programs, processed, reprocessed, and stored. To a large extent, AI is not presenting new information in response to inquiries. These programs are simply taking your verbal instructions, and finding existing data sources, which either answer your question or contribute (hopefully) peripherally to a broader understanding. 

It is at best humorous that these programs seemingly tend to turn initially to WikiRumor (copyright 2024). Granted, there is always some small potential for WikiRumor (copyright 2024) to present a correct answer to any question. And, "Even a blind pig will find an acorn now and then." 

As Canadian Running points out, almost anyone can edit a Wiki post to say whatever they wish. A runner apparently lost an endorsement deal over that activity in 2024. No high school student would cite WikiRumor (c) as a source. No scholar would use it in any manner. And yet AI jumps on its bandwagon with ease and enthusiasm at each opportunity. 

Nonetheless, AI is supposed to "learn." CNN reports that social media is a vast wealth of information willingly shared by Internet users. In a recent story, it suggested that a great many of those individuals might be less than pleased to learn that their meal reviews, singer adulations, vocations, avocations, comments, and movie reviews are being used by some mega-corporation to generate profit through an artificial intelligence large language model (LLM). 

I found such a revelation or sense of betrayal a bit doubtful (perhaps worse). Each of the social media platforms has been profiting from such posts for the length and breadth of their existence. That is definitionally what social media does and is. It is, at best, preposterous to believe that users of social media platforms will somehow be more upset at one corporate process or path to profit than they have been to another. Or would they?

Does the fact that it is AI make a difference? Some say yes. The CNN story notes that "there is a lot of fear being created around AI, some of it well-founded and some based in science fiction." So, maybe it is not an upset at being used or harvested so much as it is a gut reaction to the whole AI fearstorm? But, at the end of the day, AI is using your posts, pictures, comments, and more. It is studying you and learning from your wants, needs, triumphs, lamentations, and all the rest.

This is admittedly true of most social media and of all the many websites out there. It is also likely that this applies to the thoughts and collections you have carefully curated in your "cloud." As difficult as it is for some to comprehend, there is no "cloud." When you use a "cloud," that is just you saving things on other people's computers. They may even let you store there "for free." If you are not the customer, you are the product. Mark that one down in your notes to remember. People are voluntarily putting their information in the way of analysis. Can they complain it is analyzed?

Some social media platforms will allow you to opt-out. The CNN story provides a LinkedIn link to allow you to exclude at least some use of your material and creativity. That link leads to another link, and then it is a one-click opt-out. But that is one platform. What about all my exes? Remember that song All My Ex's Live in Texas (George Strait, 1987). I think of that time every time I "X" (formerly known as "tweeting," on Twitter). Now all my x's (former thoughts) are on X (and the litany of other platforms in our individual present and past).

Why is AI using social media? Well, anyone can read a dictionary or access a thesaurus and build a sentence. But, the hip users of social media are using the latest lingo, phraseology, context, and more. If you want to stay "with it," you need to hang about with the young and hip. 

They change the American language persistently, consistently, and efficiently. They are "human" and thus provide a great illustration of what human is and does. Forrest Gump (Paramount, 1994). After all, the goal of the AI is to "be" and what better illustration of being is there? Hint, social media is as or more relevant than WikiRumor.

Similarly, the Federal Trade Commission recently noted a "widespread practice of user surveillance by social media platforms," as reported by The National Desk. Our every move, thought, and word is watched, cataloged, categorized, and studied. 

We are ready to believe in our supremacy and our capability, but this thing we created is studying inexorably. It is studying us. It will never be perfect or infallible as our own frailty is embedded in its DNA. But it will be inexorable, efficient, and perhaps more so than we expected or desired. 

Prior posts on AI and Robotics

Will the Postal Service be our Model for Reform? (August 2014)
Attorneys Obsolete (December 2014)
How Will Attorneys (or any of us Adapt? (April 2015)
Salim Ismail and a Life-Changing Seminar (May 2015)
The Running Man from Pensacola, Florida (July 2015)
Will Revolution be Violent (October 2015)
Ross, AI, and the new Paradigm Coming (March 2016)
Chatbot Wins (June 2016)
Robotics and Innovation Back in the News (September 2016)
Universal Income - A Reality Coming? (November 2016)
Artificial Intelligence in Our World (January 2017)
Another AI Invasion, Meritocracy? (January 2017)
Strong Back Days are History (February 2017)
Nero May be Fiddling (April 2017)
The Coming Automation (November 2017)
Tech is Changing Work (November 2018)
Hallucinating Technology (January 2019)
Inadvertently Creating Delay and Making Work (May 2019)
Artificial Intelligence Surveillance (August 2020)
Robot in the News (October 2021)
Safety is Coming (March 2022)

Metadata and Makeup (May 2022)
Long Term Solutions (June 2022)
Intelligence (November 2022)
You're Only Human (May 2023).
AI and the Latest (June 2023)
Mamma Always Said (June 2023)
AI and the Coming Regulation (September 2023)
AI Incognito (December 2023)
The Grinch (January 2024)
AI in Your Hand (April 2024)
AI and DAN (July 2024)
AI is a Tool (October 2024)

Rights for the Toaster (October 2024)
Everybody Wake Up! (October 2024)
First What is it? (November 2024)
X-Files or Poltergeist? (November 2024)

Is Gartner Helpful on AI? (December 2024)

The Eeeeyew AI Says What? (December 2024)

Disuse Atrophy (December 2024)

The Trough of Disillusionment (December 2024)

Consider the Source (December 2024)

Is AI bad or just Scary? (December 2024)